A deflection gauge configured for use with a floor test apparatus is provided. The gauge includes a housing, a string potentiometer mounted on the housing, and a channel extending from the housing and pivotably supporting a pivot beam. The pivot beam has a contact button at one end and an attachment point on an opposite end configured for receiving a string of the potentiometer. Deflection of the contact button due to floor sample weight stresses causes the attachment point to pivot and cause linear extension of the string, which is measured by the potentiometer.